Light-signal system



(No Model.)

Wifiwss as.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. 0. WILSON.

LIGHT SIGNAL SYSTEM.

Patented Aug. 5, 1890.

.76707?) C MLZSOWV,

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. 0. WILSON. LIGHT SIGNAL SYSTEM. No. 433,505. Patented Aug. 5, 1890.

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. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

JOHN G. \VILSON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE MUNICIPALSIGNAL COMPANY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE.

LIGHT SIGNAL. SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 433,505, dated August5, 1890.

Application filed November 24, 1888 Serial No. 291,776. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN 0. WILSON, of Boston, county of Suffolk, Stateof Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Light- Signal Systems,of which the following description,in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, is a specification,like letters on the drawings representinglike parts.

This invention has for its object to construct an individuallight-signal system especially adapted for police-signaling purposeswherein a series of light-signals are arranged on a single wire andoperable independently by means located at the central office.

In accordance with this invention the lightsignal which I preferablyemploy consists of atwo-part colored-glass globe or screen adapt ed tobe raised to inclose a gas-jet or other illuminating-flame, and a motormechanism is employed to raise the said two-part globe or screen, whichis released by an electromagnet. The releasing electro-magnets ofseveral light-signals are included in open branches of a single circuit,and are designed to be effected by closing the said branches andthereafter increasing the strength of the current. A device is alsoprovided for bringing all the step-by-step devices to unison or to setthem in a predetermined position with each operation, as will behereinafter more fully. described.

Figure 1 shows a light-signal such asI prefer to use. Fig. 2 showsadetail of the motor mechanism. Fig.3 shows in diagram the in- 5dependently-operable step-by-step devices at one of the light-signalstations; also, the releasing electro-magnet of the light-signal and theunison employed at each station, and the apparatus at the centralstation for operating the electro-magnetically movable step-by-stepdevices and controlling the light-signal.

The light-signal whichl prefer to use con sists of an ordinary lanternA, mounted in usual manner on the top of the post A and inclosing thegas-pipe a and tip a. A tube a surrounds the gas-pipe a, and is adaptedto be moved vertically, said tube supporting at its upper end, as by abracket or frame a a colored-glass globe or screen a. The globe orscreen of consists of a metallic frame having side walls of glass, andthe said frame at its lower end has an inwardly-turned flange a which asthe globe is raised engages acorresponding outwardly-turned flange a ofa similar colored-glass globe or screen a", con- 5 5 tained Within theglobe or screen of, and raises I the said globe or screen atelescopically. By this arrangement a two-part globe or screenis form edwhich, when in its normal position, offers no obstruction to the rays oflight and affords no distinguishable signal, except when inclosing theilluminating-flame.

At the lower end of the tube a a collar a is secured, which rests uponor is secured to a spiral spring a, also encircling the gas-pipe, -6 5the said spring when the two-part globe is in its normal position beingcompressed.- The collar a has a pin a to which is fastened a cord 64which passes around a drum c0 loosely mounted on a shaft a. Upon one endof the drum a pawl a is attached, which I engages the teeth of aratchet-wheel cr isecured to the shaft a. A gear-Wheel 2 is fixed to theshaft a, which engages a gear-wheel 3, fixed to a shaft or", and agear-wheel 4 is 7 5 fixed to the shaft a", which engages a gearwheel 5,fixed to a shaft 60 which revolves with an escape-wheel 6, fixed to theshaft a, which has co-operating with it a suitable pallet 7. Thearmature 8 of the electro-magnet b has a pin which-engages the pallet,so that when the armature is attracted toward the poles of the saidmagnet the pallet will be released. This train of gearing serves to holdthe spring compressed, and when released serves as a retarding devicefor the upwardlymoving tube. Another or independent cord 9 is woundaround the drum (L13 in a direction opposite to that of the cord (L12,and as the drum is rotated or the tube is movingup- 9o wardly the saidcord 9 will be wound, and V when it is desired to keep the tube down thecord 9 will be drawn to thereby rotate the drum (0 in the oppositedirection and wind upon it the cord a. 5

Each light-signal station will have a lightsignal and operatingmechanism similar to that just described, the electro-magnets 1) servingas the release-magnets. The electromagnet 17 at each light-signalstation is in- 10o chided in a branch wire 10, leading from themain-line wire 0; but said magnet is shortcircuited by thewire13,1eading from the mainline wire 0 and extending through a shaft (1,circuit-wheel d, and pen (Z A ratchet-tooth wheel 61 is also fixed tothe shaft 61, which is engaged by a pawl 61*, loosely connected with theupper end of a pawlcarrying arm (1 which has at its lower end anarmature d of the electro-magnet'd The electro magnet d is included in abranch wire 12, leading from the main-line wire 0. The electro-ma-gnet dis employed to move the shaft (1 forward step by step and is energizedby an increase in the strength of the current. To effect this result atthe central station, a main battery B is included in the line, and alsoa heavy resistance-coil B.

At the central station a wire 14 leads from the main-line wire 0 at oneside of the resistance-coil B and including the pen e, circuitwheel e,and connecting with the main line 0 at the opposite side of the saidresistancecoil, thereby when closed serving as a shunt for theresistance-coil and increasing the strength of the current. Thecircuit-wheel 6 will be understood as being revolved by any suitablemotor mechanism, preferably set in operation by a pull, and a pointer orarm 6 is fixed to the shaft to which the said circuitwheel is attached,and as the circuit-wheel is revolved its projections, making contactwith the pen c, close the shunt 14, thereby cutting out theresistance-coil B, and for each impulse of increased tension theelectro-magnet d will respond. A spirally-grooved hub f, of insulatingmaterial, is fixed to the shaft d, it having at a determined point astop-pin f, and-an arm f hinged at f 3 and pivoted at f is provided onits under side with a pin f which follows in the spiral groove of saidhub f, so that as the hub is revolved by the shaft cl the arm f will beswung on its pivot The arm f occupies a position between the arms of theforked lever g, fixed to a pivoted armature g of a polarizedelectro-magnet g and when said armature g is moved from its normalposition, as herein shown, to its abnormal position the arm f will beraised sufficiently to remove its pin f 5 from the groove of the hub,and when the arm is thus lifted the spring)" acts to swing the arm f onits pivot f back to its normal position, so that as the arm g isrestored to its normal position the pin f of the arm f will again enterthe groove of the hub f. This pivoted and hinged arm f and the meansherein shown for moving it constitute the unison.

I have herein shown the ratchet-wheel d as having twelve teeth, andhence twelve impulses will etfect a complete rotation of the shaft 01and will move the arm f so that its pin f will bear against the stop-pinf of the hub but I have herein shown the circuitwheel 6' as havingfifteen projections, so that in case of any accident all-theratchet-wheels of the light-signal stations will, upon the occurrence offifteen successive impulses, arrive at unison-point.

To effect the operation of the unison, the

containing a local battery 18, a contact-pen 19,

and a projection 20, secured to insulating material on the circuit-wheele. When the said circuit-wheel e arrives at a position whereby theprojection 20 makes contact with the pen 19, the local circuit 17 isclosed, energizing the electro-magnet H and changing thebattery-reversing instrument or pole-changer C. At such time thepolarized electro-magnet g is affected, and the lever g lifted tothereby permit restoration of the parts, as above described. It will beseen that when the polechanger O is operated the polarizedelectromagnets at all the light-signal stations will be affectedsimultaneously, so that all the circuitwheels, as 01', will occupy thesame relative position, called unison-point.

The circuit-wheels, as cl, for each box have a single notch or insulatedportion, each arranged at a different distance from unisonpoint, butcorresponding with the teeth of the ratchet-wheel, the circuit-wheelherein shown having its insulated portion to correspond with the fourthtooth of the ratchetwheel, thereby requiring four impulses to move theshaft (Z sufficiently to bring the insulated portion beneath thecontact-pin (1 As I have provided the ratchet-wheel with twelve teeth Imay employ on the circuit twelvedifferent light-signal stations, and thecircuit-wheel e at the central office has, in addition to theprojections heretofore described,

twelve projections, and a dial-plate is provided having holes to receivea pin, as 712, which will be struck by the pointer e in its rotation, tothereby stop the circuitavheel at any point desired, the pin beingherein shown as placed in a hole which when struck by the pointer willstop the circuit-wheel after it has rotated sufficiently to transmit, inaddition to the fifteen unison impulses and the one pole-changerimpulse, four impulses, to thereby bring the insulated portion of thecircuit-Wheel d beneath its contact-pen.

\Vhen the circuit-wheel d occupies a. position whereby its insulatedportion is beneath its contact-pen, the circuit, 13 of the branch 10will be opened, and it then remains to close the branch 10 and energizethe electromagnet b. To close this branch 10, the forked lever g islifted by reversing the pole-changer it being accomplished by depressingthe key '5 to close the local circuit 17, and thereby TIO energize theelectro-rnagnet H, and to energize the electro-magnet b and release thelight-signal (it being understood that it is responsive only to acurrent of considerably greater strength than the normal strength of theline) the resistance-coil B is shunted out by the key 2", which closes abranch around the said coil. I have herein shown the keys to" asarranged one above the other, so that the pressure of one effects theclosing of both, so that the pole-changer will be operated and theresistance-coilB shunted in succession. It will be seen that just assoon as the pole changer is affected by the movement of the key 2 theforked lever Q will be lifted, thereby opening the branch 12, and henceimmediately thereafter increasing the strength of the current has noeffect upon the electro magnet 61 By removing the pin h thecircuit-wheel e completes its rotation, and also completes the rotationof the shafts, as d, at all the light-signal stations.

I do not herein broadly claim the combination of an electric circuit, amain station, and a series of sub-stations therein, each sub-stationcontaining a light-signal, an electromagnet controlling its operation,and an electro magnetically-movable step-by-step individualcal1-switcl1controllingthe circuit of the said light-signal-operating magnet, and acircuitchanging device at the main station by which said stitches arecontrolled, as the same is shown in another application, Serial No.252,335.

I claim- 1. In a light-signal, the lantern and burner, combined with thescreen so, having the 'inwardly-turned flange a and the screen a",contained within the screen a and having the outwardly-extended flangea, substantially as described.

2. In a light-signal, the lantern and burner, combined with the two-parttelescopically-arranged screen, its vertically-movable support, thespring a", and the train of gearing serving as the retaining device forthe spring and as a retarding device for the vertically-movable support,substantially as described.

3. In a light-signal, the lantern and burner and vertically-movablescreen, combined with the spring a", the drum a, and connectingcord, andthe train of gearing, and the cord 9, wound upon the drum in a directionoppo-' site to the connecting-cord, substantially as and for thepurposes specified.

4. In a light-signal system comprising a main station and severallight-signal stations connected by an electric circuit, the releasing-magnets, as 1), included in branch circuits, theelectro-magnetically-movable step-by-step devices included in otherbranch circuits and normally forming a shunt for the releasingmagnets,and polarized magnet-controlling switch g for closing the branchcircuits, containing the releasing-magnets and opening the branchcircuits containing the operating electro-magnets of the step-by-stepdevices, combined with the cir'cuitchanging devices at the centralstation for effecting the operation of the electro-magnets of thestep-bystep devices, a battery-reversing instrument for effecting themovement of the polarized magnet-controlling switch 9 and othercircuitchanging devices for effecting the operation of thereleasing-magnets, as b, substantially as described.

5. In a light-signal system comprising the main station and light-signalstations connected by an electric circuit, the combination, with thereleasing electro-magnets b, electro-magnetically-movable step-by-stepindividual call devices for independently including in the circuit thesaid releasing-magnets, and a unison, substantially as shown anddescribed, for said individual call devices, of a circuit-changingdevice at the main station for effecting the operation of theelectro-magnetically-movable step-by-step individual call-switches andmoving the unison into abnormal position, and an instrument at the mainstation for transmitting impulses of different character for restoringthe unison and also for operating the releasing-magnet, which isproperly included in the circuit by the individual call device,substantially as described.

6. In a light-signal system comprising a main station and severallight-signal stations connected by an electric wire, the combination,with the releasing-magnets I), included in branch circuits, andindividual call-switches included in other branch circuits short-circuiting the said releasing-magnets, electromagnets included in otherbranch circuits for moving said individual call-switches, and apolarized magnet-controlling switch, as the lever g, for closing thebranch circuit containing the releasing-magnets and for opening thebranch circuit containing the electromagnets of the individualcall-switches, and the unison, substantially as described, of thecircuit-changing device, as e e, at the main station, and theresistance-coil B, the polechanger, and the keys 2' t, substantially asand for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN C. ILSO'N.

Witnesses:

JAS. H. CHURCHILL, FRED. L. EMERY.

